


Wait for me to come home

by 51IsFamily (Miraifuturegirl)



Series: Dawsey Family Album [1]
Category: Chicago Fire
Genre: F/M, Family, Fluff, Gen, Getting the ring back, Homecoming
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-13
Updated: 2016-07-13
Packaged: 2018-07-23 17:13:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,331
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7472307
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miraifuturegirl/pseuds/51IsFamily
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Takes place a few months after the season 4 finale. Matt takes a big step in proving that he's here to stay in Gabby and Louie's lives</p>
            </blockquote>





	Wait for me to come home

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer- I do not own Chicago fire or Dawsey. But here's hoping what I lovingly call my 'Bouncy Ball' ship settles in season 5

It was a few months after Gabriela Dawson had signed on to foster Louie. She and matt seemed stronger than ever. But for the last few weeks, Matt had seemed… distant. He seemed busy, not only with his Alderman duties. There were a lot more phone calls. Life did go on, and they spent as much time as they could together, living the family life.

But secrets, phone calls, and trips away did not make a relationship with a future.

She woke one morning and he wasn't sleeping with her like every morning since he'd chosen to come home to her and Louie. There was a note on the kitchen table:

**Gabby.**

**When Louie wakes up, and the both of you are ready to face the day, go to the address I've written down here. I know you have questions about what I've been doing the last few weeks. Please just trust me, I know this will be worth it.**

**Love, Matt.**

She sighed, not a little exasperated at the secrecy. She decided to go wake up Louie. The three- year-old was sprawled across the bed, hugging the monkey Herrmann had given them. His thumb was in his mouth.

"Louie, baby, time to wake up. "

Louie stretched and rubbed his eyes, then reached for a hug. She lifted him for a cuddle, then set him down and they went over to the kitchen. She gave him a bagel half, which she cut into smaller pieces so Louie could eat easier. There was watermelon, and she had yogurt and the other half of the bagel, and coffee for her.

After he'd finished Louie asked the million dollar question:

"Where's Matt?"

Gabby had gotten good at answering questions, three-year-old Louie was ever curious, this made her a fast responder and better at simplifying answers.

"Matt has a surprise for us. He wanted to make sure it was ready. We're going to go see him after we get ready for the day"

"Okay"

Louie slid off his chair and dashed over to his clean clothes.

Gabby turned away for a few moments to gather and put their dishes in the sink. When she turned back, she saw Louie squirming in place, trying to get his t- shirt over his head. Louie could get clothes off quick as a flash, but putting them on right was still being worked on.

' _My stubborn boy_ ' she thought with a smile. She walked over to help.

She gently readjusted the shirt and pulled down. His head popped free.

"There you are. We don't have to leave right now. If you wanted to play-"

Louie interrupted her with an eager:

"I wanna see the surprise!"

"Okay, okay. First, Pj's in the hamper. Then go get your shoes. We'll go"

She corrected his shoe mix-up and made sure they were fastened tight.

They walked out to the car, Gabby fastened up his car seat and plugged in the address Matt had given her into the GPS in her car. She checked on Louie in the rearview mirror one last time, and he smiled back at her. She started the car and they were off.

Matt had sent her to a beautiful house. Two stories, a fenced backyard. It seemed like a good neighborhood as well. And it was close to 51. Ten minutes away, in fact. As gabby turned the car off, Louie called out:

"Matt!"

The man in question was coming out the front door of the house.

Gabby turned off the car and got out, then moved to get Louie out of his car seat.

Swinging him up onto her hip, she walked toward Matt.

"So, do you like the house? It's ours." He asks, then interrupts before she can answer:

"No, wait, let's see the inside first before you judge."

He guides them in. On the right is a living room big enough for gatherings. It's free of furniture at the moment, but Gabby can see the possibilities.

On the left is a kitchen, perfect size for her own cooking or if little hands wanted to join.

There's a breakfast nook, with a sliding glass door behind it leading to a back porch.

Wooden doors swing open to reveal a beautiful dining table with six chairs.

Matt takes them back to the stairs in the front of the house.

"This is a four bedroom house. Two baths, one attached to our room."

He goes to the room at the end of the hall, then turns to the left.

He smiles at Louie.

"This is your room, buddy." he says, opening the door.

Pale blue walls, a toddler bed in the corner with Louie's name in red wooden letters above it. A kid-sized table and chairs. A toy chest. And a personal touch- a pop-up kid's tent shaped like a Fire Engine.

Gabby set Louie down. He went straight to the tent.

"So this is what you've been up to," Gabby stated, awestruck.

"It's gorgeous, Matt."

"I just wanted you to know I'm all in, for all of it. I lost sight of us, but I'm back where I've always needed to be. I'm so sorry it almost took losing everything to open my eyes again. I don't ever want to lose what we have."

"I know, baby. I'm so sorry i was so stubborn about it all before-"

Matt raised his hand to stop her midway:

"I've said it before Gabby. _Never_ be sorry, not for loving Louie. You saw past the logistics and worries and saw a little boy who needed someone.

You did all you could to be that someone. I don't regret it. I'm glad he had youto fight for him, and now he has us to love him."

"Still, thank you for all this."

"It wasn't ever a problem. I've just got to do some minor fixes to the house, but otherwise we can move in next weekend"

They went to sit on the back porch, after telling Louie where they were going. They left the glass door open to the screen door. Just a bit of peace in their world.

A few hours later, after they had let Louie out to run around in the fenced backyard,

Gabby heard Matt's stomach rumble.

She huffed softly.

"You didn't even eat breakfast this morning before you came to the house, did you?"

' _So busted_.' Gabby thought at the sheepish look on Matt's face.

They decided on a favorite Italian place that delivered, not wanting to leave the house.

They also decided to have a picnic on the back porch.

Rigatoni in pink vodka sauce for Gabby, manicotti for Matt, plus garlic bread and salad. A kids portion of spaghetti for Louie.

As it arrived, she called Louie:

"Sweetie, It's time for lunch."

After eating all they could of the generous portions, Matt said they had a special desert in the freezer. Gabby opened it- and gasped.

There, on a plastic domed ice cream cake was her ring. The ring she had left behind when she had left a year ago.

She heard Matt behind her:

"I thought it should go back where it belongs. I'm not putting any pressure on you, but it's another promise- when you're ready, we'll take that step. Until then, I have enough-You and Louie."

Suddenly it was too much.

Dreams she thought lost had come true in the last few hours. Tears were streaking down her face, but happy tears. Her heart was bursting with joy.

Matt stepped forward, and embraced her, giving her a comforting kiss.

"You okay, baby?"

"Yes. just incredibly happy."

Matt slipped the ring onto her finger.

He turned to grab the ice cream cake, set it down on the counter, and about burst out laughing at Louie. The three year old was giving him such a dirty look. He got it, he'd made Gabby cry, but sheesh.

He opened the ice cream cake and cut into it. Maybe the treat would win him over.

**Author's Note:**

> I was inspired by ER for the giving back the ring scene. Specifically, the proposal scene between Elizabeth Corday and Mark Greene. The pink vodka pasta is a dish from my favorite Italian place that we get take out from, it's awesome. I really hope Gabby hasn't been wearing her ring in season four and I missed it somehow. I really want a 'giving the ring back' scene. Ah well, this will be AU when season five starts anyways


End file.
